Zajac, who suffered the injury during an off-ice training session in August, said he "definitely" will play this season, but he has no idea when that might be. He said he doesn't have pain as much as tightness that restricts his movements. He said skating was actually easier than walking, because the skate boot provides more support than his normal shoes. He said now that he has skated, he anticipates being able to skate more often — more than once a week.

Zajac said being home and not with the team has been both better and more difficult than if he were rehabbing in New Jersey. He misses his teammates, he said, but at the same time, he acknowledged it would be hard to come to practice everyday and watch them skating and having fun on the ice. Back home, he said he is watching a lot of hockey, including every Devils game so far, but he has not yet attended a game for the new Winnipeg Jets, which moved from Atlanta this season. His parents have gone to a game, he said, but he has not gotten around to it.